Tax Specialist – MENA Region (Bank Secondment)

About the role

A leading American financial institution is seeking a Tax Specialist to join its Bahrain‑based team on a secondment basis. The role covers direct and indirect taxation across the MENA region and requires strong technical depth, multi‑jurisdiction exposure, and familiarity with financial‑services compliance frameworks. It is ideal for a qualified tax or finance professional looking to deepen regional expertise within a globally recognised banking environment.

Key responsibilities

• Manage direct and indirect tax compliance and reporting across MENA jurisdictions.
• Monitor and interpret evolving tax legislation across the GCC and broader MENA region.
• Ensure adherence to VAT, corporate income tax, and withholding tax obligations in applicable countries.
• Support compliance with ESR, CSR, CRS, and FATCA requirements.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders, external advisors, and regulatory authorities.
• Prepare and review tax filings, computations, and supporting documentation.
• Provide technical tax advisory to business units on transactions and structural matters.
• Track regulatory developments and assess their impact on the institution's tax position.

Required profile

• Professional qualification: CA, ACCA, or CPA (completed or finalist).
• Minimum 2 years of direct work experience in taxation (direct or indirect).
• Based in Bahrain or willing to relocate; fully on‑site role.
• 3–5+ years of tax experience with exposure to both direct and indirect tax streams (preferred).
• Experience across GCC jurisdictions (Bahrain, UAE, KSA) and/or broader MENA (preferred).
• Working knowledge of ESR, CSR, CRS, and/or FATCA compliance frameworks (preferred).
• Prior experience within a banking, financial services, or insurance tax function (preferred).
• Familiarity with VAT, corporate tax, and withholding tax across multiple jurisdictions (preferred).

Required skills

• VAT compliance
• Corporate income tax compliance
• Withholding tax compliance
• ESR knowledge
• CSR knowledge
• CRS knowledge
• FATCA knowledge